NHRC raises questions over policing; HC ‘disturbed’

Raising serious questions over policing in the Capital, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday sought reports from the Union home ministry and the Delhi police on the gangrape of the 23-year-old woman. "Such acts are grave violation human rights," the NHRC said, taking suo motu cognisance of the incident.

It also issued notices to the Union home secretary and the Delhi Police Commissioner, asking them to submit the reports in two weeks.

"The incident has raised the issue of declining public confidence in the law and order machinery in the city, especially, in its capacity to ensure safety of women," an NHRC spokesperson said.

Angry woman advocates also raised the gangrape issue before the Delhi High Court, which assured them that it was looking into the "brazen" incident.

"We have already discussed what has to be done. It troubles us all. Whatever is required to be done, we would do. Wait for a day or so," a bench headed by justice SK Kaul told the women lawyers, including former DUSU President Monica Arora.

The women lawyers wanted the court to take suo motu cognisance of the case and monitor the probe. They also demanded guidelines to ensure women's safety and setting up of fast track courts to try rape cases.

"It was a brazen attempt by some persons who think that they can play with the law and order.... We are very disturbed," the court said, adding that "strong signals must be sent to the perpetrators". The bench also gave the lawyers the liberty to file a PIL.

The court, however, did not take suo motu cognisance of the incident and asked the women lawyers to wait for "a day or so".